In the past year, we have completed a pre-clinical animal study in LCAT K/O mice showing the feasibility of using recombinant LCAT as a therapeutic agent (ref. 2) and have also filed a provisional patent application, with our outside collaborators, on the use of LCAT for modulating HDL levels (ref. 1). In addition, we have shown that low LCAT levels was a biomarker for cardiovascular risk in the general population (ref. 3). In conjunction with our outside collaborators, who have licensed the patent from the NIH, we have completed the pre-clinical toxicology studies and have recently filed an IND to start a clinical trial.